Wire-line socket



R. O. SLATER.

WIRE LINE SOCKET. APPLICATION FILED MARJIIS, 1919- RENEWED M16 19, 192!- 1,406,768.

Patented Feb. 14, 1922.

vices,

ROBERTO. SLATER, OF TULSA, OKLAHOMA.

WIRE-LINE SOCKET.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Feb; 14 1922 Application filed March 13, 1919, Serial No. 282,414. Renewed August 19, 1921.' Serial No. 483,697.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Ronnnr O. SLATER, citizen of the United States, residing at Tulsa in the county of Tulsa and State of Oklahoma, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tire-Line Sockets, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to line sockets and more particularly to what is known as the swivel type of socket employed. in connection with the drilling of oil and gas wells.

It has before been suggested in the art, to which the invention relates, to provide a socket adapted for the reception of the swivel connection for the lower end of the wire or rope, and to interpose between said connection and the wall of the socket yieldable means whereby to relieve strain on the parts as the stem or tool contacts with the surface operated upon, but in all prior dewith which I am familiar, objections have manifested themselves, particularly with regard to the unusual strain on the resilient support, and the frequent breakage of the latter, and incident cutting or breakage of the wire orrope.

It is .one ofv the primary objects of the present invention to provide in a device of the character described, novel means of connection between the drilling line and the lrilling stem, whereby to permit the stem to rotate freely and at the same time eliminate the objectionable jar incident to contact of the stem with; the surface operated upon, whereby to prolong the life of the drilling line; whereby to give more elasticity to the action of the drilling stem, and whereby to protect the yieldable characteristics of the connection against undue strain in use.

In carrying out the invention and improvements, it is proposed to provide a socket, a swivel within the socket, and an interposed spring or other resilient means between the swivel and wallofthe socket to permit relative yieldability, and operatively associated means whereby to limit the action of the spring means and protect the latter against breaking under undue strain.

It is a further object of the invention to provide in a connection between the drill stem and drill line, a novel and improved type of swivel, preferably of a'type adapted to protect the spring or cushioning means interposed between the swivel and socket by contact with the wall of the socket prior to the complete compression of the spring or cushioning means.

Again, it is an object of the invention to provide a novel and improved socket useful in the connection described, of a type to protect the wire or rope line against contact with the spring or cushioning means interposed between the swivel and wall of the socket. Said protecting characteristic is preferably present both during the normal operation of the'device, and should by any possibility the spring or cushioning means become broken in use when the broken parts would ordinarily have a tendency to out said line.

Again, it is an object of the invention to provide a yieldable support for the swivel, the said support being interposedibetween the base of the swivel and the base of the socket. Y

More particularly, the invention includes a socket member adapted to be connected to the drill stem, the said socket being hollow for the reception of a freely rotatable swivel adapted for connection with the wire or rope line, cushioning means interposed between the base of the swivel and the base of the socket member, and cushioning means also interposed between the top of the socket member and said swivel.

It is further contemplated by the present invention to provide a novel and sufiicient shock absorbing means of wear resisting properties, simple and inexpensive in design and operation, strong and durable, highly efficient and satisfactory in use, and to generally improve upon line sockets' as heretofore constructed and in use.

Other improvements, and novel details in the construction and arrangement of the various parts of the device, will be appreciated by those skilled in the art from the description to'follow, which is to be considered in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, andwherein is disclosed, for the purpose of illustration, a convenient and satisfactory embodiment of the invention, though in this connection it is to be borne in mind that many minor changes in details may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention. 7

In the drawings Figure 1 is a vertical section of a line socket connection embodying my improvements, parts being shown in elevation;

Figure 2 is an elevation of a swivel removed;

Figures 3 and 4 are sectional views substantially on the lines 3-3 and t l of Figure 1, respectively.

With more particular reference to the drawings wherein like reference numerals refer to corresponding parts throughout the several views, 1 is a member forming a socket, the same being hollow whereby to provide a swivel chamber 2, which said chamber is preferably closed at its lower end by a stem 3 having an abutment shoulder underlying the lower end of the socket 1, and a plug 4 fitted within and having threaded engagement with the interior peripheral wall of the socket. The upper part of the swivel chamber 2 is provided with a shoulder portion 5 surrounding a central, longitudinally extending opening 6 adapted for the reception of the wire or rope line 7 which projects below the shoulder 5 of the socket and is adapted for connection with the swivel to be now described. The wall of the socket surrounding the swivel chamber 2 is preferably circular, and adapted for free longitudinal as well as rotatable movement within the chamber 2, is a swivel comprising a base part 8 and an elongated upwardly extending stem 9.

The swivel including the base part and stem is of a length to provide a clearing space between the lower end of the swivel and closed bottom formed by the plug t of the socket, and between the upper end of the stem and the shoulder 5 of said socket, and the stemof the swivel is of a diameter greater than the opening 6 for the wire line 7 whereby to underlie the abutment formed by the shoulder The swivel is provided with a central, longitudinally extending opening terminating in a tapered, or conical enlarged part adapted for the reception of the lower end of the wire or rope line. The base of the swivel at its point of connection with the stem 9 constitutes a shoulder 10 adapted to constitute an abutment for the lower shock absorbing means, such as a spiral spring 11 sleeved upon the stem 9 and adapted to contact at its upper end with the shoulder 5 of the socket whereby to normally space the upper end of the stem 9 from said shoulder 5.

Also interposed between the lower end of the swivel and closed lower end of the socket is an auxiliary cushioning means which conveniently takes the form of a spiral spring 12.

The stem part 3 is conveniently provided with a screw-threaded socket 3" at its lower end adapted for thereception of an interengaging threaded upper end 3 of a suitable tool.

It is believed that the construction and operation of the device will be fully understood from the description above when read in connection with the drawings, but some of the advantages incident to the use of the improved device may be briefly reviewed as follows: The device may conveniently be termed a combination spring and swivel neck connector having exceedingly useful and novel shock absorbing characteristics. The parts are so proportioned that the drilling stem is given the necessary elasticity without causing breaking of the spring during its use, and in this connec tionit will be observed that the swivel member 8-9 has an extended neck or stem projecting upwardly to a point slightly short of the upper end of the spring when the spring is in its normal or natural position. lVhenthe spring has been compressed by the downward stroke of the device in use, and before the spring is permitted to be entirely compressed, the upper end of the neck or stem 9 of the swivel is brought into contact with the shoulder 5 at the top of the socket, the shoulder thus taking the final and more severe jar in lieu ofthe spring. It has been ascertained from the use of prior devices that the continual jar completely compresses the spring each time the drilling stem or tool contacts with the surface or bottom of the hole, and this results in breaking the spring after a relatively brief perlod of use, thus rendering the tool useless, at

least so far as any yieldable characteristic. is concerned, and then again the broken parts of the spring being brought into contact with the wire or rope, the'latter soon becomes cut and severed thereby, with the result that the'tool is absolutely useless until new parts are substituted, if the damage has not'in fact injured the device beyond repair. In the present device the swivel permits the stem to freely rotate and allows the natural twist to remain in the drilling line. The neck or extension 9 of the swivel not 0111* )revents the drillin line from conspring is entirely compressed. The lower spring 12 is provided more particularlyto prevent undue wear of the swivel on the closed lower end of the socket.

What I claim is 1. In a device of the character described, the combination of a tubular socketrmemher, a swivel member positioned within and enclosed by the socket member for relative longitudinal movement, the said swivel member having a rope or cable receiving recess therein and also having a seat for a cushioning means, cushioning means, interposed between said seat of the swivel and the top wall of the socket, and said top wall of the socket being adapted to be engaged by the swivel to thereby limit the compre sion of the cushioning means.

i 2. In adevice of the character described, the combination of a hollow tubular socket member, a swivelv member loosely positioned entirely within the socket member for relative longitudinal and rotatable movement, said swivel member having a rope or cable securing means, shock absorbing cushioning means interposed between the swivel and socket members adapted to be compressed on relative longitudinal movement of these parts, and means for positively limiting the compression of the shock absorbing means.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination of a hollow socket member, a swivel member mounted for relative longitudinal movement within the socket member, a line projecting through one end of the socket member and secured directly to the swivel, and means for resisting said relative longitudinal movement comprising a spring interposed between the swivel and socket members and cooperating means for limiting the compression of the spring.

4:. In a device of the character described, the combination of an elongated cylindrical part forming a socket, a swivel loosely po sitioned within the socket for free relative movement, said swivel having an upwardly extending stem normally projecting to a point adjacent to but spaced from the top of the socket, a spiral spring positioned on said stem adapted to abut at one end against the swivel, and at its opposite end against the top wall of the socket, and a wire or rope line projecting through the top wall of the socket and connecting directly with the swivel.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination of an elongated cylindrical part forming a socket, a swivel positioned within the soeket,said swivel having an upwardly extending stem projecting to a point adjacent the top of the socket, spiral spring sleeved on said stem adapted to abut at one end against the swivel, and at its opposite end against the top wall of the socket, a wire or rope line projecting through the top wall of the socket and connecting directly with the swivel, andcushioning means interposed between the base of the swivel and lower endof the socket.

6. In a device of the character described, the combination of a socket member having side, top, and bottom walls forming a chamher, a swivel member positioned within said chamber, the top wall of the socket and said swivel being provided with a longitudinally extending opening for the'reception of a wire or rope line, a spring interposed between the swivel and top wall of the socket, and means for spacing the spring from the wire or rope line comprising an upwardly projecting part on they swivel, said up wardly projecting part on the swivel termi nating a relatively short distance from the top wall of the socket whereby to, engage said top wall and limit the. compression ,of

the spring in the relative longitudinal movement of the swivel and socket.

7. In a device of the character described, the combination of a socket member having side, top, and bottomwalls forming a chamher, a. swivel member loosely I positioned within said chamber, the top wall of the socket and said swivel being provided with a longitudinally extending opening for the reception of a wire 0* rope line, a spring interposed between the swivel and top wall of the socket,.and means for spacing the spring from the wire or rope line comprising an upwardly projecting part on the swivel, said upwardly projecting part on the swivel normally terminating a relatively short distance from the top wall of the socket whereby to engage said top wall and limit the compression of the spring in the relative longitudinal movement of the swivel and socket, and a spring interposed between the base of the swivel and bottom wall of the socket.

8. Ina device of the character described, the combination of an elongated cylindrical socket member having side, top, and bottom walls, a swivel loosely positioned within and enclosed by the socket member for relative, free, rotatable and limited lengthwise movement, a spring member interposed between the top wall and the swivel, a spring interposed between the bottom wall of the socket and swivel, and said bottom wall being removable.

9. In a device of the character described, the combination of an elon ated cylindrical socket member having side, top and bottom walls, a swivel positioned within the socket member for relative, free, rotatable and lengthwise movement, a spring member interposed between the top wall and the swivel, means independent of said spring for limiting the compression of said spring, a spring interposed between the bottom wall of'the socket and swivel, the said bottom wall having a threaded engagement with the side wall of the socket whereby the same may be removed, and said bottom wall having a downward extension with a lowered terminal recess for the reception of a drill stem or tool.

10. In a device of the characterdescribed, the combination of an elongated socket member having an internal shoulder part adjacent its top, a swivel member positioned within the socket member for rotatable and lengthwise movement, said swivel comprising a base part, and an elongated stem of reduced diameter projecting upwardly to a point adjacent to but spaced from said shoulder part of the socket, a spiral spring sleeved upon the stem and engaging at its lower end the base of the swivel, and at its upper end said shoulder part of the socket, the said stem being adapted in the relative longitudinal movement of the parts to engage said shoulder and constituting means for limiting compression of the spring.

11. In a device of the character described, the combination of an elongated socket member having an internal shoulder part adjacent its top, a swivel member positioned within the socket member for rotatable and lengthwise movement, said swivel comprising a base part, and an elongated stem of reduced diameter projecting upwardly to a point adjacent to. but spaced from said shoulder part of the socket, a spiral spring sleeved upon the stem and engaging at its lower end the base of the swivel, and at its upper end said shoulder part of the socket, the said stem being adapted in the relative longitudinal movement of the parts to engage said shoulder and constituting means for limiting compression of the spring, and an auxiliary spring of relatively different resistance from the first named spring interposed between the base of the swivel an lower end of the socket.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

' ROBERT O. SLATER. 

